1. Principles in Biblical Teaching - Syllabus

Class Description

This is a course on the basic principles of biblical teaching. It is designed to give a basic overview of methods and principles of teaching biblical truth. In doing this, the course will attempt to give the student helpful feedback so that he or she can assess with more confidence God’s calling in his life.

Class Objectives

Upon completion of this class, the student will have . . .

1. Gained greater confidence in determining his or her calling.

2. Developed a personal teaching philosophy by writing a philosophy of teaching paper.

3. Gained further understanding concerning the Holy Spirit’s role in the teaching process.

4. Learned about various teaching methods along with their effectiveness.

5. Become aware of the importance of the spiritual, intellectual, and homiletical preparation that biblical teaching requires.

6. Become thoroughly familiar with the homiletical process through lecture, discussion, and preparation of lessons.

7. Prepared and delivered a lesson using the principles learned.

8. Created a personal critique sheet which will be used by peers in evaluation of lessons.

9. Learned to humbly evaluate the critique of others.

Course Textbooks

Required

Jim Wilhoit and Leland Ryken. Effective Bible Teaching. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1988.

Howard Hindricks. Teaching to Change Lives. Multnomah: Sisters, OR, 1987.

Suggested

Haddon Robinson. Biblical Preaching. Baker: Grand Rapids, 1980.

Richard Ramesh. Preparing Expository Sermons. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2001.

William Yount. Called to Teach. Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 1999.

*Howard Hendricks. Color Outside the Lines. Dallas: Word, 2002.

Given by Instructor

Many handouts will be given by the instructor. The student is expected to read each one.

Course Requirements and Grading

This course can be taken at three levels: enrichment, for a grade, or for a grade with honors.

• Enrichment: if you are taking the course for enrichment, you must pay the registration fee ($50) and then you may attend as many or as few sessions as you desire. Homework is not required, although doing homework will obviously enrich your learning from the course.
• Graded: If you take the course for a grade, you must pay the registration fee, attend all four session, and complete enough of the homework according to the grading system below to receive a passing grade.
• Honors: Honors credit can be earned in this course by reading Howard Hendricks. Color Outside the Lines.

Assignment Description (see course schedule for due dates)

1. Participation: This class is structured and designed in such a way that participation in in-class discussions and activities will take up the majority of the time. Participation is therefore essential.

2. Each student working for a grade will have assigned reading: See schedule for due dates.

3. Each student working for a grade will write a personal teaching philosophy paper: This paper should be one to five pages. You will ask the questions, “What constitutes an excellent teacher?” “What constitutes excellent teaching?” and “What type of teacher do I want to be?” Then you will write down the primary values that you believe constitute an excellent teacher with the view of exemplifying these values in yourself and your teaching.

4. Each student working for a grade will be required to prepare and teach one sermon or lesson: This is the high point of the class. It is at this time that you will apply the principles learned and subject yourself to the critique of the other members of the class.

Grading System

#1 10%

#2 20%

#3 20%

#4 50%

Class Outline and Schedule

The formal class sessions will be held for four consecutive weeks (Saturdays 9am-1pm).

The structure of the course will tentatively be as follows:

Class	Subject	Date	Due
1	Developing a Teaching Philosophy
2	Homiletical Process		Reading: TCL Teaching philosophy paper
3	Delivery Evaluation of Teaching		Introductions
4	Lessons: Break up into rooms 241, 242, 243, 244		Reading: EBT Lesson/Sermon (15 min.)